The Educational Potential of Computer Games, October 19 2010, Copenhagen

In connection with the 4th European Conference on Game-Based Learning (ECGBL) and in collaboration with the ongoing research project Serious Games on a Global Market, PhD-students in the field of Game-Based Learning are invited to attend a Master Class where they can network and receive feedback and ideas for their work. The Master class, with a few spaces still open, will comprise of two key lectures followed by student presentations and discussions on the topic of Game-Based Learning – see the program and registration site. The two research lectures by Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen and Patrick Felicia in the morning are open to anyone interested and do not require registration.

Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen, PhD, Psychologist, CEO of Serious Games Interactive a company with some 20 employees dedicated to games that are more than entertainment. Mr. Egenfeldt-Nielsen has studied, researched and worked with computer games for more than 10 years. After finalizing his PhD on the educational use of computer games, Mr. Egenfeldt-Nielsen participated in several research projects about learning games of which three were funded by EU, and he has been involved in the development of more than 30 computer games most of them in the field of Serious Games. Mr. Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen has served on the Digital Game Research Association Board for three years, co-founded www.Game-research.com, and authored four books on video games. He regularly gives talks around the world.

Patrick Felicia, PhD, MSc, lecturer, course leader and researcher at the Waterford Institute of Technology. Mr. Patrick Felicia obtained his MSc in Multimedia Technology in 2003, and his PhD in Computer Science in 2009 from University College Cork, Ireland. His research interests and expertise revolve around Game-Based Learning, Multimedia, Educational Psychology and Instructional Design. He has served on program committees for international Game-Based Learning and Technology-Enhanced Learning Conferences. He is editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Game-Based Learning (IJGBL), and is also editor of the forthcoming Handbook of Research on Improving Learning and Motivation through Educational Games: Multidisciplinary Approaches.